Description
Cheeseburger Rice is a quick and flavorful one-pan meal combining seasoned ground beef, tangy barbecue sauce, creamy cheddar cheese, and crunchy bacon and pickles, all cooked together with instant rice for a cheesy, savory dish perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Dairy
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
Liquids and Sauces
- 1-3/4 cups water
- 2/3 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
Dry Ingredients and Seasonings
- 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups uncooked instant rice
Garnishes
- 1/3 cup chopped dill pickles
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef: In a large skillet set over medium heat, cook the ground beef until it is no longer pink, breaking it apart as it cooks. Once cooked through, drain off the excess grease to avoid a greasy final dish.
- Add liquids and seasonings: To the same skillet, add water, barbecue sauce, prepared mustard, dried minced onion, and black pepper. Stir the mixture together and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Incorporate rice and cheese then simmer: Stir in the uncooked instant rice and sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet with a lid, and let it simmer gently for five minutes to allow the rice to absorb the flavors and the cheese to melt.
- Finish with pickles and bacon: Once the rice is cooked and the cheese melted, sprinkle the dish with chopped dill pickles and crumbled cooked bacon strips. Serve immediately to enjoy the crunchy texture of the toppings.
Notes
- Use instant rice for a faster cooking time; regular rice will require longer simmering.
- Cook and crumble bacon separately ahead of time to save preparation time while the beef cooks.
- Adding pickles and bacon at the end keeps them crunchy and flavorful.
- Feel free to substitute cheddar cheese with other cheeses like mozzarella or pepper jack for a different twist.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.
